Railfan Technology > Best sound recording app for iPhone?

Hi All, 

I'm traveling in Latvia and Lithuania, and of course there are lots of interesting trains and trams here.  As well as churches with pipe organs. 

All I have for photos, video and sound is an iPhone 6s.  

I downloaded the "Voice Record Pro" app, and it seems to work pretty well with pipe organ recoding, but trains come out pretty unclear.  Part of it, of course, is that there's more background noise outside than inside.  But I think a "sound recording" app would work better than a "voice recording" app.  

I googled around for 10 minutes, all I found were fancy music recording apps.  

Any suggestions?  

Thanks in advance, 
Ted in Latvia

Test sound file attachment.  Unit oil train westbound on the wye in Daugavpils, Latvia

at 30 seconds in when the engineer "squeaks" the whistle at me, there's two giant six-axle diesels rolling by, which we're not hearing at all.  If that's the limitations of the iPhone, fine, but if it's because I'm using the wrong software, then it's something I'd like to change.  



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/20/16 06:07 by gobbl3gook.

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Test attachment 2, Soviet-era tram ride, Daugavpils Latvia

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And, for the record, this is in a cathedral in Liepaja, Latvia.  You'll note that the iPhone and software are very satisfactory for this type of sound.  

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The limitation is mostly the microphone of the iPhone.  It isn't designed to provide full range sound.  I suggest a Shure MV88, or Zoom iQ6.  The Shure comes with an app to do the recording, too.  I haven't tried any of these, but the brands are reputable in the world of pro audio.

The organ is a good documentary recording, but the bass of the organ is absent as it is in your train recordings, and it is monophonic.  You might be shocked at what one of the above will sound like with full frequency response and stereo.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/20/16 20:21 by radar.

Rather happy  to know somebody else that enjoys the sound of a classical pipe organ!
No doubt most residential places have a church/worship centre with a proper blower equipped
keyboard activation with ranks and stops.

Radar, thanks, next time I see an electronics store I'll look for one of those types of mics.  

Any other suggestions for brands?  I'm really not a tech-savvy kind of guy, all suggestions helpful.  

Thumper, the organ was said to be the largest mechanical organ in the world.  Very impressive to listen to, I sat in the choir loft for an afternoon service.  You can likely find soundtracks online if you google Mechanical Organ Liepaja or something along those lines.  

Pics attached representing the 3 sound files posted above. 

Best, 
Ted in Lithuania



Edited 5 time(s). Last edit at 09/21/16 08:51 by gobbl3gook.

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You won't find those products in your local electronics store.  Go to one of the online pro audio or music supply houses, or Amazon.

Or a music store that sells recording and PA equipment.
radar Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> You won't find those products in your local
> electronics store.  Go to one of the online pro
> audio or music supply houses, or Amazon.